Container construction



Dec. 13, 1960 I Filed Feb. 25, 1958 G. B. M FARLAND CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION ADDRESSEE Q STATEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 PRE-PRINTED RETURN ADDRESS (ORIGINAL SENDER) INVENTOR.

GERALD B. M FARLAN0 BYjMvAlqyvw A TTORNEVS Dec. 13, 1960 I e. B. MbFARLAND 2,964,233

CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 25, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /94 oooononWnom/U so; l

I I wild 5 s9-- i l I fi l INVENTOR. F G GERALD B. M-FARLAND ZWAgW I ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1960 e. B. MCFARLAND 2, 4,233

CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 25, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/G 88 1' 2 1 1' I 5 H 3 i i :H- 1 i i Win i 82 5 |o2 f Lil 96H! 5 i 74 g? 70 I I W #99 F1; 85 2;; P g; mi 5- i I a 5, 1' Jfi 9 E I "MN i i i i D/DUUUUUUUUUUU 84 INVENTOR. GERALD B. M FARLAND A 7' TOPNEVS Dec. 13, 1960 5. B. MCFARLAND 2,964,233

CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 25, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. GERALD B. M-"FARL AND A T TOP/V575 United States Patent CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Gerald B. McFarland, McFarland, Calif., assignor to M. B. McFarland & Sons, McFarland, Califl, a partnership Filed Feb. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 717,443

2 Claims. (Cl. 22973) This invention relates to sealable container constructions, and more particularly to mailing instruments in the form of return-mail envelopes and the like, which may be closed and sealed for a first mailing, easily opened after receipt, and subsequently reclosed and rescaled for remailing.

It is common practice for business concerns, professional persons and the like to send out their periodic stateprofessional person is included for convenience of the person owing money. Such a procedure is time consuming and entails considerable expense due to the enclosure of a return envelope in the original mailing envelope. Furthermore the name and address of the person to whom the statement is sent generally is written twice thereby requiring duplication of work by the ofiice personnel sending out the statements. In view of the fact that such statements generally are mailed monthly, it is desirable that instruments be devised for cutting down the amount of time and expense involved in preparing and mailing such statements while at the same time facilitating the efiort involved in a persons paying such monthly statement.

The construction of the mailing instrument of the present invention is intended to reduce the amount of work required to prepare and mail accounts-receivable statements and to facilitate the method of payment for the person to whom the statement is sent. To accomplish such result, containers, having statements of amount due incorporated therewith, are provided which are made from paper or other suitable material. Such containers desirably are in the form of envelopes and are provided with means to facilitate initial or first mailing thereof as well as means to facilitate opening and remailing of the envelopes to the original sender with the remittances of the amounts due contained therein. As a result, separate return mail envelopes are not necessary and the expense thereof is eliminated.

The objects of the present invention, among others, include the provision of a mailing instrument in the form of an envelope incorporating a statement or bill of the amount due by a particular person to the original sender of the envelope; the provision of return mail envelopes incorporating such statements which require the name and address of the addressee to be inserted only once thereon thereby minimizing the amount of work and expense involved in preparing a large number of statements for mailing; the provision of means incorporated with an envelope for securing the same in proper alignment and position for use with an accounting system or the like; the provision of novel securing means for maintaining the envelope closed during first mailing and similar means for maintaining the envelope closed during return mailing thereof; the provision of means in conjunction with such securing means for facilitating opening of the envelope after each mailing; and the provision of means for precluding inadvertent or accidental sticking or adhesion between the envelope securing means and envelope sections alignable with such means whereby the envelope is maintained ready for use at all times.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from reading the following description and reference is directed to the accompanying drawings which show desirable embodiments of return-mail envelopes incorporating this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one face of a flat blank from which one embodiment of an envelope may be set up;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank of Fig. 1 showing the opposite face thereof;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the envelope set up from the blank of Figs. 1 and 2 showing the same being readied for initial or first mailing;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the envelope of Fig. 3 showing the same being opened after receipt after first mailing;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4 illustrating details of an envelope sealed for first mailing;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the envelope illustrating the manner in which the envelope is prepared for remail- Fig. 7 is an isometric view ofthe envelope closed and j sealed for remailing;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 8-8 of Fig. 1 illustrating details of the securing means used with the envelope;

Fig. 9'is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 99 of Fig. 7 illustrating details of the envelope closed and sealed for remailing;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of one face of a blank from which a modified type of envelope may be set up;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the blank of Fig. 10 showing the opposite face thereof;

Fig. 12 is an isometric view of the envelope set up from the blank of Figs. 10 and 11 and closed and sealed for first mailing;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 1313 of Fig. 12 illustrating details of the envelope sealed for first mailing;

Fig. 14 is an isometric view of the envelope closed and sealed for remailing;

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the envelope embodiment set up from the blank of Figs. 1 and 2 showing the same in a position ready for business entries to be made thereon prior to first mailing;

Fig. 16 is an isometric view showing the envelope of Fig. 7 being opened after remailing;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the envelope modification set up from the blank of Figs. 10 and 11 showing the same in a position ready to receive business entries thereon prior to first mailing.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, a flat blank provided from a minimum amount of paper or like material is illustrated from which one embodiment of the mailing envelope of this invention may be set up. The blank comprises a pair of envelope body panels 2 and 4- hingedly connected to each other along fold line 6. Hingedly connected to body panel 2 along fold line 8 is a foldable flap 10. Another flap 12 is hingedly connected to body panel 4 along fold line 14. Desirably fold line 14 is weakened, as by perforations or the like, to allow flap 12 to be severed from panel'4 for a purpose to be described. Extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides of one of the body panels, in the embodiment illustrated from body panel 2, are glue flaps 16 and 18. As shown in Fig. 2, one face of each glue flap is provided with an appropriate layer of adhesive for maintaining the envelope in set-up condition in the conventional manner.

Glue fiaps 16 and 18 are intended to be folded inwardly, in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. l,

to partially overlie the face of body panel 2. Panel 4, and the flap 12 connected thereto, thereafter is intended to be folded in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 to overlie such glue flaps 16 and 18 and to be adhesively secured along opposite side margins thereof to such glue flaps to provide a conventional envelope body 20 as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 16. Desirably body panels 2 and 4 are of substantially the same size to form a neat envelope body. If desired, glue flaps 16 and 18 may be eliminated and the envelope body formed by adhesive ly securing body panels 2 and 4 directly to each other along opposite side margins thereof in the well known manner.

After the envelope body has been formed in the manner described, flap may be folded back to overlie and engage part of one face of body panel 2 of the envelope body 20 as shown in Fig. 15. When in such condition, the envelope is ready for the appropriate business entries, including the name and address of the original addressee of the envelope during first mailing, to be inserted thereon in the manner to be described.

Envelope body 20 includes an access opening 22 (see Figs. 6 and provided along the top margin thereof and flaps 10 and 12 are hingedly connected to the top of envelope body along opposite edges of such access opening 22. It is into such access opening 22 that mate rials may be inserted during first or initial mailing of the envelope and also into which the remittance, in the form of a check or cash from the original addressee, may be inserted during remailing of the envelope.

As illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, flap 12 serves as a closure flap for the envelope to effect sealing thereof during first or initial mailing. Closure flap 12 is foldable along hinge line 14 to overlie flap 10 and panel 2 of the envelope body section. Desirably, flap 10 is of smaller size than closure flap 12 to allow flap 12 to completely overlie flap 10 and to be secured to body panel 2 of envelope body 20 adjacent the bottom thereof. Securing means 24, to be described in more detail hereinafter, is provided adjacent the free edge 26 of fiap 12 for maintaining the flap in secure engagement With the envelope body during first mailing.

Flap 10, after fiap 12 has been severed from the envelope (Fig. 6), serves as a reclosure flap for the envelope by means of which the envelope may be re- 'closed and rescaled for remailing the same to the original sender or to some third party. Securing means 28, to be described hereinafter, is provided adjacent the free edge 30 of reclosure flap 10 for reclosing the envelope by securing reclosure flap 10 in engagement with panel 4 of the envelope body (Fig. 7).

As shown in Fig. 1, reclosure flap 10 desirably is provided with a predetermined area 32 on which is to be inserted the name and address of the original addressee of the mailing envelope. Such original addressee, for example, may be the person who owes money to the original sender of the envelope. Desirably, closure flap 12 is provided with an aperture or window 34 which is alignable when predetermined area 32 of the reclosure flap 10 when closure flap 12 is folded into sealing engagement with the envelope body, as illustrated in Figs.

. 3 and 4. Although other methods may be used to effect the orig nal addressing of the envelope for first mailing, the described construction is desirable in that the name and address of the original addressee need only be written or printed once on the envelope.

'in applicants copending application for Flap Closure By positioning the addressees name and address on the closure flap 10, such name and address is available to the original sender for use with his bookkeeping records or the like upon receipt after return mailing of the envelope with the remittance from the original addressee therein. The original sender is able to determine rapidly from whom the envelope has been received after such remailing and need not rely upon the signature on a check or the like for such information.

Apertured closure flap 12, as shown in Fig. 1, also is provided with an area on which may be inserted appropriate business entries, such as a statement or bill of the amount due by the original addressee to the original sender. If desired, window 34 of closure flap 12 may be covered with a transparent protective material, such as cellophane, in the conventional manner to protect the contents of reclosure flap 10.

Upon receipt of the envelope after the first mailing by the original addressee the envelope may be opened rapidly and easily, as shown in Fig. 4, in that appropriate directions and means for opening the same desirably are positioned thereon. After such original receipt and opening, closure fiap 12 may be detached along tear line 14, as shown in Fig. 6 and retained by the original addressee as a receipt or record stub. After flap 12 has been detached the original addressee may insert his remittance or other materials to be returned to the original sender into the access opening 22. To reseal the envelope for remailing, reclosure flap 10 is folded over access opening 22 into engagement with panel 4 of envelope body 20 and securing means 28 used to effect such resealing.

Desirably panel 2 of the envelope is provided with the pre-printed return address of the original sender (as shown in Fig. 2) and it is unnecessary for the original addressee to write anything on the envelope to prepare it for remailing. If desired, the original addressee may write his own return address on the envelope for remailing but other writing on his part is not necessary. A stamp may be placed on the envelope by the original sender in the location S illustrated in Fig. 2 to facilitate and induce use of the envelope by the original addressee.

If such stamp is omitted by the original sender, the original addressee may aifix his own stamp to the envelope for return mailing. Desirably, a similar location S is provided upon which a postage stamp may be applied by the original sender for first mailing of the envelope.

From the foregoing, it should be understood that it is a simple matter for the name of the original addressee to be inserted in the predetermined area 32 of reclosure flap 10 and the amount due from such original addressee to 'the original sender to be inserted on the statement area provided on closure flap 12. Such entries may be made rapidly on a conventional typewriter without requiring the envelope to be inserted therein more than once. The envelope shown in the condition of Fig. 15 is ready for typewritten entries, or other convenient types of business entries, to be inserted thereon.

' The type of flap securing means utilized with the envelope of this invention may vary but desirably adhesive securing means is utilized. While strips of conventional adhesive which become tacky upon the application of moisture thereto may be applied to closure flap 12 and reclosure flap 10, other types of adhesive securing means also may be utilized and generally are desired.- One type of adhesive securing means which is suitable is disclosed and Opening Means for Containers or the Like, Serial No. 716,724, filed February 21, 1958.

The adhesive securing means 24 positioned on closure flap 12 desirably includes a length of flat tape 36 having a layer of suitable pressure sensitive adhesive applied to each of the opposite sides thereof. As shown in Fig. 8, one side of such tape is adhered to the inner face of closure flap 12. A protective strip 38 of paper or the like is applied to the outer adhesive layer of tape 36 completely covering the same to preclude inadvertent securing of the closure flap to another surface. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the securing means 24 comprising the length of double-coated tape 36 is positioned adjacent the free edge 26 of closure flap 12 and extends substantially parallel to such free edge in the area lying between opposite side edges 40 and 42 of such flap.

Desirably, tape 36 extends to a location substantially flush with side edge 40 but terminates at'a location spaced inwardly from opposite side edge 42 .(see Fig. 8). As a result, protective strip 38 covering the adhesive tape 36 extends beyond one end of the tape thereby providing a free end section or pull tab 44 by which the protective strip 38 may be grasped for removing the same from the adhesive tape as shown in Fig. 3. Protective strip 38 desirably extends between the opposite side edges 40 and 42 of the closure flap 12 andterminates at its opposite ends substantially flush with such side edges. Desirably, the adhesive layer which engages closure flap 12 has stronger adhesive properties than the adhesive layer engaged with strip 38, thereby precluding tape 36 from being stripped from flap 12 when strip 38 is removed from the tape.

Protective strip 38 is provided adjacent flap side edge 40 with a transverse cut 46, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, which divides the protective strip into two sections. One of such sections is comparatively short and provides a small protective section or tab 48. Because tab section 48 is separated from the longer section of protective strip 38 by cut 46 such tab section 48 will remain secured to adhesive tape 36 when the long section of protective strip 38 is removed therefrom.

Extending inwardly from flap side edge 40 (see Figs. 1-3) in a direction substantially parallel to free edge 26 of fiap 12 and adjacent the inner edge of adhesive tape 36 is a slit or cut 50. Such slit desirably extends to a point adjacent cut 46 in protective strip 38. When closure flap 12 is folded over to engage panel 2 of envelope body 20 and secured thereto by adhesive tape 36 for first mailing, slit 56 provided in closure flap 12, in conjunction with the tab section 48 adhered to the associated end of tape 36, provides envelope opening pull tab means which may be grasped as shown in Fig. 4 for opening the envelope. Protective tab section 48, it should be understood, is disposed between the adhesive tape 36 at the end thereof adjacent flap edge 40 and the envelope body 20, thereby preventing such end of the tape from becoming secured to the envelope body 20 and allowing the tape end to be grasped and pulled for opening the envelope.

As illustrated in the drawing, adhesive tape 36 and protective strIp 38 desirably do not extend'laterally beyond opposite side edges 49 and 42 of closure flap 12. As a result, the pull tab means provided for removing the protective strip and opening the envelope terminate within the confines of fiap 12 thereby precluding inadvertent engagement of such pull tab means with the mechanism of post office stamp cancelling machines or the like. In.

this manner, accidental opening of the envelope is precluded.

The envelope secured and closed for first mailing is shown in the sectional view of Fig. 5 and illustrates the closure flap 12 overlying reclosure flap and panel 2 of the body 24 and adhesively secured to the body by tape 36. The envelope is opened after receipt following the first mailing by grasping the pull tab provided by protective tab section 43 and slit 5%"; and pulling thereon to tear closure flap 12, along the inner edge of tape 36 and to thereby strip the tape from the envelope body as shown in Fig. 4. To facilitate tearing of closure flap 10 and to insure neat opening of the envelope to allow remailing, a line of weakness 52, in the form of perforations or the like, extends from the inner end of slit 5%) to the opposite side edge 42 of closure flap 12 along the inner edge of adhesive tape 36. In this manner a clean tear is insured 6 and the need for opening tools, such as letter openers or the like, is precluded.

After the original addressee has opened the envelope in the manner described, closure flap 12 with the statement or other material entered thereon may be separated from the envelope body along tear line 14 and retained for future reference or discarded as the addressee desires. A check or other material then may be inserted into the envelope and closure flap-10 is then ready to be folded overthe access opening 22 into engagement with panel 4 ofbody 29. To secure flap 10 in engagement with the body, securing means 28 is provided adjacent the free edge 3001: the reclosure flap 10. Such securing means desirably is similar to the securing means previously described With reference to closure flap 12 and includes a fiat, double coated adhesive tape 53 (Fig. 6) adhered to flap 1t and covered by a protective strip 54 provided in two sections including a separate protective tab section 56 cut from strip 54 which remains engaged with an end of the tape 52 when strip54 is removed.

Fig. 9 illustrates the condition of the envelope with flap 1i folded over into engagement with the envelope body and secured to panel 4 thereof by adhesive tape 53. A slit 58 extends inwardly from side edge 60 of reclosure flap 10 to provide an envelope opening pull tab in conjunction with protective tab section 56 to be used in opening the envelope upon receipt after remailing in the manner described previously. As shown in Fig. 6, adhesive tape 53 terminates inwardly of opposite edge 62 of reclosure flap 10 to allow an end 64 of protective strip 54 to be grasped for removing the strip. A line of weakness 66 desirably is provided in reclosure flap 10 to facilitate tearing the envelope open after remailing.

The envelope tape securing means 28 also permits the envelope to be opened after remailing without requiring separate tools which might inadvertently damage the envelopes contents.

The envelope described may be used in the following manner. An envelope in the condition shown in Fig. 15 has the name and address of the original addressee inserted in predetermined area 32 on reclosure flap 1t) and the amount due or other suitable information inserted in the statement section of closure fiap 12. Protective strip 38 of securing means 24 is removed by the original sender and closure flap 12 folded over access opening 22 into engagement with panel 2 of envelope body 20 and secured thereto by applying pressure to the outer face of flap 12. Upon receipt by the original addressee, the envelope is opened by grasping the opening pull tab provided by protective tab section 43 and slit 5% and by pulling on such pull tab until the flap 12 issevered along line 52 and tape 36 is stripped from engagement with the envelope body.

Flap 12 is then detached from the body and the appro priate remittance or the like inserted into the body. Protective strip 54 of securing means 28 is then removed and reclosure flap 1t) folded over access opening 22 into engagement with panel 4-of envelope body 20. Because the envelope has been previously provided with the address of the original sender, the original addressee need not write on the envelope unless he desires to insert his own return address. If a stamp has not been applied by the original sender, the original addressee need only apply a stamp to the envelope to prepare it for remailing.

Upon receipt by the original sender, the envelope may be opened by grasping the opening pull tab provided by protective tab 56 and slit 58 and tear flap 10 along line of weakness 66 to remove the tape 52 from engagement with the envelope body to open the envelope, as shown in Fig. 16. In this manner, a neat, easily usable and inexpensive return mail envelope is provided which conveniently may be used by both the original sender and the original addressee.

A modification of the envelope of this invention is shown in Figs; 10 to 14 and 17. The blank from which the envelope modification is set up is shown in Figs.

and 11 and includes body panels 70 and 72 hingedly connected along fold line 74. Glue flaps 76 and 78 are provided along opposite sides of one of the body panels and in this embodiment such glue flaps extend laterally from body panel 72. Flaps 76 and 78 are folded inwardly in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 10 and panel 70 folded over into engagement therewith and adhesively secured thereto to provide the envelope body. As in the previously described embodiment, glue flaps 76 and 78 may be omitted and panels 70 and 72 adhesively secured directly to each other along side margins thereof, if so desired. Panel 70 in the embodiment illustrated is substantially equal in size to panel 72, thereby providing a neat envelope body 80 when the envelope is set up and adhesively secured as described.

Hingedly connected to panel 72 along fold line 82 is an intermediate panel 84 upon which appropriate printed material, such as explanations of a code used with the envelope or the like, may be inserted. Fold line 82 desirably is a tearable line of weakness, such as a line of perforations, which will facilitate detachment of intermediate panel 84 from panel 72 of envelope body 80. Hingedly connected to intermediate panel 84 along fold line 86 is envelope closure fiap 88. Desirably closure flap 88 is of a dimension substantially equal to the combined widths of intermediate panel 84 and body panel 72 of the envelope.

To close and seal the envelope for first mailing, closure flap 88 is folded along fold line 86 into engagement with panel 70 of the envelope body adjacent the bottom thereof as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. By making closure flap 88 of a size larger than either of the body panels 70 and 72, a larger envelope is provided having greater capacity. As shown in Fig. 10, the inner face of closure flap 88 is provided with suitable printed lines which divide the flap into various columns for the insertion of various business entries thereon. Because of the relatively large size of flap 88, many such entries may be made thereon.

Hingedly connected to closure flap 88 along a side edge thereof along tear line 90 and extending laterally therefrom is means for positioning and maintaining the envelope in place while business entries are made on the closure flap 88. Such means desirably is in the form of a positioning tab or flap 92 having a series of spaced apertures 94 provided therein for a purpose to be described. Positioning tab 92 is severable from the envelope along line 90 to adapt the envelope for mailing. While positioning tab 92 is illustrated as being secured to closure flap 88, such tab also could be attached to the envelope at other convenient locations for effecting the same result.

Securing means 96, desirably of the double coated tape variety described previously with reference to the en- 'velope embodiment of Figs. 1 to 9, is provided adjacent the free edge 98 of closure fiap 88 and is utilized to maintain the envelope closed during first mailing as well as to open the envelope after receipt thereof by the original addressee. A line of weakness 99 is provided in conjunction with means 96. Such securing and opening means has been described at length heretofore, and it is not believed that repetition of such description is required here. It should be pointed out, however, that upon severance of positioning flap 92 from closure flap 88, the opening pull tab of the securing means is readily accessible for opening the envelope after firstmailing.

Connected to body panel 70 is reclosure flap 100 which is hingedly secured thereto along fold line 102. Such reclosure flap 100 is intended to overlie the access opening of the envelope after closure flap 88 and intermediate panel 84 have been detached therefrom along tear line 82. The position and condition of the envelope for remailing with the reclosure flap 100 in sealed position is shown in Fig. 14. Securing means 104 is provided adjacent the free edge 106 of reclosure flap 100. De-

- 8 sirably such securing means also is of the double coated adhesive tape variety described previously with reference to the envelope modification of Figs. 1 to 9. A tearable line of weakness 108 desirably is provided in conjunction with securing means 104 to facilitate opening of the envelope following receipt after remailing.

The envelope modification described differs from the envelope embodiment of Figs. 1 to 9 in that reclosurc flap 88 generally is not provided with an aperture or address window alignable with a predetermined area of the reclosure fiap 100. As shown in Figs. 10 and 17, the inner face of reclosure flap 88 is provided with a plurality of lined columns in which business entries may be inserted and an address window would interfere with the effectiveness of such columns,

The envelope modification illustrated is intended for use with accounting systems wherein a running account of a particular persons charges may be entered and recorded. When so used positioning tab 92 is engaged with the holes thereof surrounding appropriate pegs or the like fixed on an accounting board or book. As a result, the envelope is maintained stationary while business entries are made thereon. Accounting systems of the type mentioned frequently are used by professional persons, such as doctors and dentists, with each horizontal line on flap 88 being usable to record each visit of a patient and each vertical column indicating the type of treatment given. In this manner when a patient receives his statement at the end of a charge period, each visit is recorded thereon and the exact services rendered are noted thereby providing the patient with a permanent record for his files. Desirably, the entries inserted in the vertical columns are in code to facilitate their insertion, and the explanation of such code is printed on intermediate flap 84 as previously noted.

By using carbon paper and appropriate forms placed to overlie closure flap 88, entries may be made on a plurality of documents which, for accounting practices, provide a receipt for the patient for each individual visit, as well as providing an up to date statement for the accounting records of the doctor.

At the end of a given time, for example at the end of a particular month, all of the ofiice visits of the patient and the treatments given, etc. have been recorded in chronological order in the appropriate columns on closure flap 88. As a result, at the end of a given charge period, it is merely necessary for the doctors office staff to total up the entries appearing on the closure flap 88, to address the envelope to the patient owing the money and to mail the same to him.

Mailing of the envelope is effected merely by detaching the positioning tab 92 along line 30, removing the protective strip from securing means 96 on closure flap 88 and pressing such securing means against panel 70 of the envelope body for maintaining closure flap 88 in folded engagement with panel 70 of the envelope body. Upon receipt by the original addressee, the envelope may be opened and intermediate panel 84 and closure flap 88 may be detached along line 82 thereby adapting the envelope for remailing. Such closure flap may be retained by the original addressee for his records, in that it includes thereon a running account of his visits to the doctor and services rendered. The entries on flap 88 may be checked against the receipts obtained by the patient at the times of his visits to check the statement for accuracy.

Because no address window is provided in closure flap 88 of the illustrated embodiment, the name of the original addressee is inserted on the outer face of closure flap 88 as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The return ad dress of the original sender desirably is pre-printcd on panel 70 of the envelope, such return address being covered by the closure flap 12 during first mailing of the envelope. For remailing, it is merely necessary for the original addressee to insert his remittance in th .9 access'opening of the envelope body and to secure reclosure flap 100 against panel 72 as shown in Fig. 14 in the manner described previously. If desired, the original addressee may insert his return address in an appropriate place provided on panel 70.

Although the positioning fiap described is illustrated in conjunction with the envelope embodiment of Figs. -14 and 17, such a positioning flap also may be provided on the envelope embodiment of Figs. 1-9, 15, and 16, if so desired.

From the foregoing it should be understood that useful return mailing instruments in the" form of envelopes are provided which greatly reduce the amount of time and expense necessary in sending out monthly statements or the like as well as decreasing the amount of trouble for the original addressee in returning his remittance to the original sender, thereby facilitating the payment of bills and the like. As will be noted from Figs. 3, 4 and 12, in both modifications of the envelopes disclosed, there is no danger of the securing means provided on the enclosure flaps becoming engaged accidentally with the inner face of the associated closure flap during first mailing in that the adhesive tape of the securing means provided on such reclosure flap is at all times protected by a protective strip secured thereto. Such protective strip separates the adhesive tape of the reclosure flap from the inner face of the closure flap at all times during first mailing. As a result, the envelope is always maintained in proper condition for remailing in that humid conditions or excess pressure and the like cannot accidentally effect sealing of the closure flap to the inner face of the reclosure flap which overlies and contacts the same. If moisture sticking adhesive were utilized with the reclosure flap of the envelope, under certain climatic conditions, such adhesive might adhere to the overlying closure flap thereby rendering the envelope ineffective for remailing and making opening thereof after first mailing very difiicult.

As mentioned previously, other types of adhesive securing means may be used to maintain the envelope closed during mailing and remai-ling. Generally, however, to prevent inadvertent sticking of the closure flap and reclosure flap as above described, moisture sticking adhesive is not desirable on the reclosure flap of the envelope.

However, to maintain the cost of production of the envelope at a minimum, adhesive which becomes tacky when moisture is applied thereto may be utilized to secure the envelope closure flap in place during first mailing. Such moisture sticking adhesive may be applied across the full width of the closure flap or a small spot of adhesive may be applied thereto for easy opening. The type of securing means used with the closure flap may be varied depending upon the use for which the envelope is intended.

In addition, while the flap securing mean-s described with both embodiments of this invention have been disclosed as being initially applied to the closure and reclosure fiaps thereof, under certain conditions. the tapes and protective strips may be applied to the envelop-e body for engagement with the respective flaps when the protective strips are removed and such flaps folded into engagement with the envelope body.

Each of the envelope modifications described desirably is provided with pre-printed directions which indicate the manner in which the envelopes are to be opened, as well as any other information, such as advertising and the like, which may desirably be placed thereon in any convenient location.

Although the envelopes of this invention have been described as being useful in the payment of monthly statements and the like, clearly such envelopes could be used wherever a reply to an original correspondence is expected. Other features which may become apparent to a person skilled in the art should be considered part of light of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A two way mailing envelope comprising, a preformed body into which contents to be carried by said envelope are insertable, and separate envelope closure and reclosure flaps hingedly connected to said body; said body comprising a pair of panels of substantially the same size and shape connected to each other along three opposing margins of the respective panels and being free of connection with each other along fourth opposing margins thereof whereby. a body access openingis provided, said closure flap: being larger than said reclosure flap and being hingedly connected to one of said body panels along the fourth margin thereof, said reclosure flap'being smaller than said body panels and being hingedly connected to the other of said body panels along the fourth margin thereof, said closure flap being foldable over and across said access opening to overlie and cover said reclosure flap and being securable to said other body panel within the marginal confines thereof during initial mailing of said envelope, said closure flap being detachably connected to said one body panel substantially along the fourth margin thereof for detachment and retention by the first addressee of said envelope, said reclosure fiap after detachment of said closure flap being foldable over and across said access opening to overlie at least part of said one body panel and being securable thereto during remailing of said envelope; and means on said closure and reclosure flaps for adhesively securing said flaps to the respective body panels during mailing and remailing, said means including on at least one of said flaps a length of dual purpose envelope sealing and opening tape having opposite faces each of which is coated with a layer of adhesive, said tape being secured to such flap by one of said adhesive layers and being securable by the other of said layers to a predetermined one of said body panels when said envelope is sealed, said tape including a pull tab by means of which said tape may be grasped to effect separation of such flaps from said predetermined body panel to effect opening of said envelope without requiring separate opening tools.

2. An account-receivable return mail envelope comprising opposite panels secured in substantially face-toface relationship and providing an envelope body having an access opening along a margin thereof, an apertured closure flap hingedly connected to one of said panels and being of substantially the same size as said one panel, a reclosure flap of a size smaller than said closure flap hingedly connected to the other of said panels, said closure flap being foldable to overlie said reclosure flap and said other panel to close said access opening, said reclosure flap being provided with a predetermined area for the insertion of the name and address of the original addressee of the envelope, the aperture of said closure flap being alignable with said predetermined area when said closure flap is folded over said access opening to overlie said reclosure flap and said other panel whereby said predetermined area and the name and address thereon is visible therethrough, adhesive securing means on said closure flap engageable with said other panel adjacent a margin opposite said access opening for maintaining said closure flap in such folded condition during first mailing of said envelope to such original addressee, said closure flap being detachably connected to said one panel for detachment and retention by such addressee upon receipt following such first mailing, said reclosure flap being foldable to overlie at least part of said one panel when said closure flap is detached whereby said access opening may be reclosed, and adhesive securing means on said reclosure flap for maintaining the same in such folded condition whereby said envelope may be reclosed and remailed by such original addressee thereby precluding the need for another envelope to efiect such remailing; the adhesive securing means on at least one of Said closure-and reclosure flaps comprising a length of doublecoated pressure sensitive adhesive tape secured to such flap, a protective strip removably covering one surface of said adhesive tape, and pull tab means on said protective strip and on said adhesive tape whereby said pro- 5 tective strip may be grasped for removal to expose said one surface of said adhesive tape to permit securing such flap to the envelope body and whereby said adhesive tape may be grasped for subsequently separating said adhesive tape from such flap and from said envelope 10 body for opening said envelope.

1,373,512 Kuhhorn Apr. 5, 192

. 12 Lemmer Oct.4, Bennett Feb. 27, Lines et a1. Feb. 9, Whitman Apr. 20, Wendt Sept. 21, Tilly Nov. 8, Wyatt Aug. 28, James et a1 Apr. 22,

FOREIGN PATENT Great Britain Great Britain Aug. 11, 

